According to Severus
by dira1
Summary: Written in the times of a 16 year-old Severus Snape at Hogwarts before he became our beloved Potions Master. Includes some humour, romance (...that's right) with the elusive Florence, and basically everything a normal...er, any teenage boy would encounter
1. Introduction

Disclaimer: None of these characters belong to me. They all belong to the magnificent J.K Rowling.

Rating: PG-13

Author's notes: This is my first ever fanfic published on Fanfiction.net. I had others on the Cinescape message boards, and I would like to use this as an opportunity to thank everyone for relenting to my persistent pleading and groveling to give me nice, well-rounded critiques and advice. 

Summary: Severus Snape at Hogwarts in his sixth year. Includes James, Sirius, Lily (NOT Snape/Lily), Lupin and the mysterious Florence. Also includes his family life in later chapters. WARNING: OotP Spoilers.

Chapter1                                                                       Introduction

Transfiguration had always been Severus Snape's weakest point.

Staring down glumly at his new mutant, Severus decided to waste whatever was left of the period and give it a name. His best friend Evan Rosier peered interestedly over his bony shoulder. "What d'you reckon." He whispered (Professor McGonagall was nearby, inspecting various blue, satin cushions and giving them a mark out of ten.) "I think it looks like a '_Fluffy_'…or a '_Tibby_', " said Evan. 

Severus glanced down at the cushion with long, furry white ears protruding out of where the buttons were supposed to be, and his eyebrows furrowed slightly as he thought.  Not far away, he saw James Potter smirk at him, as he laid his wand down next to his own perfect, midnight blue cushion and strutted over to Lily Evans, poking his head playfully over her shoulder as she gazed critically at her own work. She bit her lip and pushed him away.

Ack.

Lovebirds.

Just then, a sharp voice interrupted his disgusted musings.

"_Another_ monstrosity, Mister Snape?" McGonagall had arrived. Snape fought back the urge to roll his eyes. It would sting more if she actually thought of a different criticism to direct at him every lesson. Instead he replied, "He's called 'Fluffy', _actually_, Professor." Professor McGonagall scowled and scribbled furiously on her notepad.  "I shall be informing the Headmaster of your lack of progress," she said, indicating with a flick of her wand, the ears which were now starting to twitch convulsively

"Yes, Professor."

The bell rang and Severus threw his cushion onto the pile at the front of the classroom where others had carefully placed theirs, then grabbed his bag off the table and stalked to the door with Evan, who was now talking feverishly about how his cushion had sprouted a fluffy, white tail, just before McGonagall marked him. He was still gibbering by the time the got to Potions, at which point Severus had to remove his ability of speech with a Silencing charm.


	2. First Impressions

Chapter Two: First Impressions

Professor Krueger stood up from his desk and cleared his throat to welcome his sixth year N.E.W.T Gryffindors and Slytherins. 

"Welcome class, today there will be some changes to our usual schedule. We will be sharing our class with the Ravenclaws, for their usual block is being used for Poltergeist control at the request of Mr. Filch. Now I don't want any _funny business…" _He paused and tapped his wand sharply on the table where sat Severus Snape with his best friend Evan Rosier muttering darkly. They both looked up.

"Did you hear what I just asked, Severus?"

"Yes, sir." Severus said as he tied his hair back loosely with a black elastic band that was around his wrist. He heard sniggering and looked around. Remus Lupin was absorbed in a book, but James Potter, Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew were shaking with suppressed laughter and pointing at Severus's back. Five small black spiders were trailing up his shirt, and as he stood up quickly to brush them off, his chair fell over behind him with a loud _bang_, setting off a chain of laughs in the normally silent classroom.

"Alright, _quiet_ everyone! _Silence!_ Severus, please take your seat," Professor Krueger added in an undertone to Severus who picked his chair back up and fell into back it, his pale cheeks flushed slightly red with mingled embarrassment and fury.

"Forget them, mate," Evan whispered anxiously to his friend, who was fingering his wand and glaring at Potter, Black and Pettigrew who were now having their own wands snatched away from them. "Hogsmede tomorrow. Get them back then."

Severus nodded silently and released his wand to face Professor Krueger who had just swept back to his desk, stuffing the three incriminating wands into his desk drawer. __

 "Ah, Professor Flitwick" he said, noticing the small wizard at the door. "Class," he called, "the Ravenclaws will be sharing our room today as their room is being used by Mr. Filch for some thorough spring cleaning."  

"Hello Professor, such an inconvenience all this moving around. Sure you don't mind?" came the merry squeak from the lower corner of the door.

"Of course not…come in, come in!" he motioned to the rather nervous looking Ravenclaw students as Flitwick left.

The Ravenclaws shuffled in awkwardly. Krueger continued to talk. Severus noticed Florence Dashworth, a Ravenclaw prefect cast a slightly wary glance at the Slytherins, before focusing her gaze on Sirius, who was lounging casually back in his chair and throwing her small, sly, smiles. Severus's lip curled as she blushed slightly and quickly directed her gaze to her shoes.

"Now, Professor Flitwick and I have come up with a little exercise that will ease tension between our groups before we continue."  Severus and Evan swapped glances. They didn't like what was coming next.

"You will be put in pairs with people from the opposite house and learn to work together over the course of the term." 

The Ravenclaws and Slytherins groaned in unison.

Great, thought the Ravenclaws. Stuck with the creeps for a whole term.

Wonderful, thought the Slytherins. Stuck with the tightwads for a whole term. The Gryffindors didn't care. As long as they weren't a class of sullen 7th year Slytherins, it was okay with them. 

 Krueger rolled his eyes at the outburst. 

"Yes, all right…settle down" he said loudly over the top of the students. "I will now randomly pick names from the roll Professor Flitwick has left me and you will be partnered with a person. You will also be marked on how well you perform together during the first week, with your potions and such."

As he began to call names from the roll, Snape and Rosier engaged in conversation again.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye, old friend…may God keep you!" wailed Rosier melodramatically, while clutching Snape's arm.

Severus sighed and patted him on the back. "Yes, alright. Calm down before you stretch my jumper into oblivion." He said dully, noticing the neck of his jumper being pulled onto his shoulder.

"You're not being sincere," complained Evan huffily.

"And like you are? I think I'm the only one who can put up with your melodrama" Severus said flatly.

"Melodrama? Thanks a lot. I'm screwed for a whole term. Whichever egghead I get will put me through academic torture. Like that Florence Dashworth last week." Evan screwed up his face and put on a high voice_. "It's pronounced nume-ri-cal, not nume-er-ic-al."_

Severus grinned at the almost accurate impression of the snobby tart that he had to listen to _every week_ at Prefect congregation.

 "You're used to her already…you have some sick pleasure my dear boy, of seeing other people in pain. What if I get paired with her?" Evan observed.

"There something wrong with that?" Severus asked silkily.

"Sadist" his friend muttered. 

Severus raised an eyebrow as Evan's name was called and he was paired with Ethel Lear. He gave a small wave as Krueger shooed them to a separate desk.    

His name was next. "Snape, Severus…you will be paired with…"

Severus clenched his teeth. '_Not Black's future wench…anyone but her. Well, apart from Black. Or Potter'_

"Dashworth, Florence, over to this table if you please, you too, Severus"

Severus groaned and began laboriously packing his things. He walked slowly over to the desk and sank down into an empty chair. He took his scales and quills out of his bag and placed them on the table. Soon enough, a girl with long dark hair pulled into a ponytail and dark blue eyes came over and did the same in silence. Having finished quickly, he looked around for something…indeed, _anything_ to do, to get away from the inbred. Florence cleared her throat. Severus ignored her. She sighed and said, "I suppose I'll get the Bunsen burners, shall I?" The question was met by a stony silence. Florence rolled her eyes, and went to fetch the instrument. Just as she was getting it out of the cupboard, Evan tapped Severus on the shoulder from behind.

"Having fun with the Mudblood?" he asked.

"Oh, yes. I think she's trying to talk to me. She'd have better luck trying to get a response out of her notebook, though."

"Is it an _enchanted_ notebook?" asked Evan jokingly.

Severus smirked slightly. "Twit."

Evan raised his eyebrows. "Well, I'd tell you to play hard-to-get, but considering what a sultry spunk you are"-(his eyes lingered on Severus's oily hair and prominent nose) –"I wouldn't waste time on that. I'd slap her on the arse and direct her to the Prefect's bathroom. Like what Black's about to do."

Severus looked around. Black was shuffling towards her with his hands in his pockets. James was egging him on with hisses of encouragement

.

A perfect opportunity.

Severus snuck his wand from the pocket inside his robes, aimed it at Sirius and opened his mouth to perform a curse when…

"You should have all your ingredients and equipment prepared by now. You may start," Called Krueger from his desk. His eyes flicked over Severus once, then returned to his paperwork. Severus bade a quick roll of his eyes as a farewell to Evan then went back to his desk where Florence was sitting.

"You shouldn't have tried that, you know," she said.

Severus raised an eyebrow and replied coolly, "I don't think that's any of your business."

"I just don't think you should curse people for your own sick enjoyment," she replied airily.                                                                                    

Severus looked at her for a few seconds and said, "Well what does that say about Potter and Black?"

Florence glanced at him and said, "Black's just a prodigy out of control…many girls find that alluring," she sighed.

"You?" asked Severus, hoping she was more intelligent than she looked.

"God, no." She said, although she was turning a slight shade of crimson. "I can't afford to get into trouble. It would break Flitwick's heart. Potter and Black get off slightly because they're funny and they're not prefects. Lupin is though, but I don't think he could control them either. I have asked him once or twice to try. He seems like a nice person, but I really think Dumbledore should have appointed someone more…confident."

Florence shook her head and took the porcupine quills of the Bunsen burner. Severus watched for any expression to come across her pretty face. Nothing. He sat back satisfied, and watched her blunder with the quills and leech juice. 

"You're supposed to add the quills _after_ putting the cauldron on the fire" he said sharply.  
"Oh, you're right." She said, tilting the jar up sharply and placing it on the table. She moved the cauldron onto the fire, and gracefully shook the quills into it.

" And you're supposed to stir them _anti-clockwise_" he drawled.

" Thanks" said Florence tersely.

" _Two_ splashes of leech juice" Severus yawned.

"Will you stop badgering me?" Florence snapped. "I'm a _Ravenclaw_, I _do_ know what I'm doing."

"Well, you should be ashamed," said Severus, idly checking his fingernails.

Florence threw down the stirring rod and stormed to her seat, sitting down and crossing her legs and arms haughtily. Severus picked the rod, stirred the mixture, measured the ingredients accurately and slowly which just added to Florence's annoyance, and within a few minutes, the potion was complete.

"There," said Severus placidly. "Done."

Professor Krueger came over and inspected their potion. "Ah brilliant as always, Severus. Well done both of you." He gave them a mark, and then swept off to the next pair.

Florence was watching Severus closely. He caught her eye and rolled his.

"What?"

"- Nothing"

"- No, seriously. What is it?"

Florence shook her head and said, "Have you spent much time revising potions as you do with curses?"

Severus stirred restlessly and said, "Well…no. Not as interesting."

Florence sighed and stood up to help him pack away the potions instruments. She was folding back her scales when a loose joint collapsed and made a small cut through her delicate arm.

"Oh, f…eck" she swore, seeing Severus smirking. Florence quickly sucked the part of her arm that was cut. She looked over at Snape who was biting his lip in a failing effort not to laugh.

"Oh, what is it now?" she snapped.

"Feck?" Severus managed to choke. Florence rolled her eyes. She didn't believe someone so uptight could be so childish. Or maybe she could. 

"Well don't just stand there…help me!" she hissed.

Help _her? _A Mudblood wench? A Mudblood wench who was the object of Sirius Black's affections? Severus made his disgust apparent in a slight sneer.

Florence was still looking at him boldly. What if she thought he couldn't help her? What if she thought all he was good for was cursing things? That would make her think she was better than him. _No_ petty half-blood was going to be superior to Severus in any way whatsoever.

Severus sighed and took up his wand. Seeing Florence cringe, he snapped impatiently, "Don't be ridiculous, I've used this charm hundreds of times."

The wound healed in a flash of small white light. Florence inspected her arm.

"Thank You" she said primly. The bell rang, and they looked at each other for a few minutes before picking up their bags and turning away.                                                                                                                                                              

***********************************************************************************************Well, how'd I do? Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease tell me! Especially you, Melanie. You know who you are. ;)

There are still more chapters to come. Don't know when though. I have to juggle this between a little thing called 'school', and a social life. J


	3. The Purity Issue

Note:  Thanks for your review, StaticMouse! At least _somebody _liked it…*sniff*. Joking. I suppose it has been a while since I decided to update…

Chapter 3: The Purity Issue

Severus barely knew where he was going. Book in hand, and nose in book, he haphazardly wound around fellow students with the guidance of Evan's hands on his shoulders steering him out of the way of both moving and stationary objects . His friend was too used to his unnatural bookishness as were the rest of their group. Speaking of which…

Bellatrix Black was lurking at a distance behind him with her thuggish boyfriend Rodolphus. She ran silently up to him and clamped her pale hands tightly over each eye. He came to a sudden halt.

"Guess who?" she whispered mischievously, digging long pink nails into his eyebrows which caused Severus to yell with pain, and rip her hands from his face. Bellatrix shrieked with laughter, soon followed by dull guffaws by Rudolphus Lestrange. He glared at them and packed his book into his bag as he reached the Slytherin table for lunch. He had taken a sip from his goblet of burdock wine when he glanced sideways and saw Bellatrix smirking at him maliciously. He sighed.

"What?" he asked.

Bellatrix's smile grew and she said, "How was Potions?"  Severus raised an eyebrow. "Fine," He replied warily, wondering why on Earth she was enquiring about his classes.

She leaned closer towards him, and whispered close to his ear, "A little bird told me.."- Severus glared at Evan, who blushed slightly "…that you were seen chatting up that Dashworth girl last lesson. Aren't I all the female company you need, Severus? Or am I getting to becoming too dull for your developing tastes?" Her smile had vanished and her dark eyes were narrowed slightly.   

Severus was slightly confused. Him and a halfblood? He made a mental note to ask Filch how the school water supply was coming along.

"Really, Severus. If you can't find girls your own type then don't even bother. Just don't sink so low as to forsake your own kind with the inferiors of this society," she said in a business-like tone, returning to her normal sitting position and continuing with her poached eggs as though nothing had happened.

Severus sat nonplussed as the morning owl post delivery came with the usual fluttering and falling of feathers, and a dark grey eagle owl landed near his goblet with a note attached to its leg. He untied the note and let the owl nibble at his leftover bread crusts.

Prefect Congregation.

He sighed and passed the note to Bellatrix as her own owl came swooping down before them. She read it and frowned, slumping her head against his shoulder.

"And to think the day started out so perfect…well, I suppose it will be alright for you with your little girlfriend there", she mumbled through Severus' jumper looking up at him, a grim smile crossing her features.

He frowned and said, "Honestly, Bella will you give it a rest?  If you are trying to drill into me what years of being a Slytherin _and_ being my father's son have taught me, then you're failing miserably. For I already know it all. Perhaps even more the you do," he smirked, shoving a piece of toast into her mouth.

She took it out and looked at him appraisingly. "Even more than I do? I'm a Black, remember? We probably started writing the whole history of purity before your family tree was even created."

Severus matched her smug expression with a superior raise of his eyebrows. "Then how does that explain your dear cousin?", he asked, pointing with his wand where Sirius Black sat at the Gryffindor table. "Morals Mutation?".

"Possibly", Bellatrix scowled. The whole hall stood as the bell rang to signal the end of lunch. Severus glanced sideways at her and remarked, "Don't frown, Bella. All your potential suitors agree that it doesn't suit you."

She looked at him, smiled a wide, sarcastic smile and said "See you in the common room later. Same goes for all of you." She said, nodding at the rest of their group. Bellatrix then latched onto the arm of her boyfriend and she and Severus went their separate ways.

Okay, this chapter was short, kinda sucky and very late. Sorry! I promise I'll improve on that. Now dance! I mean, review…

 


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